Electrical piano



NOV 10, 1931. c, A, ONEILL 1,831,749

ELECTRICAL PIANO Filed Jan 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG-7T .2.

17212672707 Chtzriesfl 0 Weill,

Z htn'flfibrneI q WY Nov. 10, 1931. c. A. ONEILL ELECTRICAL PIANO Filed Jan. 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllllll I v I. l l l n L d I1 Nov. 10, 1931. 1 QNEILL 3,831,749

ELECTRICAL PIANO Filed Jan. 27, 1928 4 SheetsSheet 4 fl iarks fl. fil /kill his flil arnc yn;

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES A. ONEILL, or POTTSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PIANO Application filed January 27, 1928.

My invention relates to music instruments, and it has for one object the provision oi a combined musical instrument comprising a piano player, a phonograph, and a radio set.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a single musical instrument comprising a player piano, an electrical recordcontrolled translating means, a radio set having an electrical amplifier provided with a sound-wave translating device, and means whereby said amplifier set may be energized by currents from said record-controlled means. 7

Another object of my invention is to pro- 1 vide a simple and compact electrical instrument, wherein the sound-wave translating device for the radio set is positioned within the housing of the player piano in operative relation to the player-piano sounding board, so

that a desired blending of musical selections from the two may be obtained.

A further object of my invention is to provide means, whereby the player piano and the phonograph apparatus may be operated in synchronism, whereby piano and vocal recitals may be simultaneously rendered with desired musical harmony.

A still further object of my invention is to provide mechanism automatically effective to reverse the movement of the music sheet at the end of a selection and at the same time to render inefiective the phonograph apparatus, said mechanism also serving to render effective again the phonograph apparatus when 05 the music roll has been entirely rewound and connected for the replaying of the selection.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple compact, and eificient switching and solenoid apparatus for controlling the actuation of the keys in accordance with the perforations in the music roll.

Other objects and applications of my in vention, as well as details of construction and operation, whereby the same may be practiced, will be apparent more fully hereinafter, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a pa.- ra-tus embodying my invention, with the (eybed and the lower front wall of the player Serial No. 249,896.

piano partially broken away, and with the upper front panels removed;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the music sheet in the act of being rewound;

Figs. 3 and 4e are enlarged, detail, front and side clevational views, respectively, of the control mechanism forthe music rolls and phonograph apparatus;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, detail view of the control means for the clutch actuating mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. (5 is an enlarged, detail, side elevational view, partially in vertical section of the outer end of one of the keys and the adjacent key-bed;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, detail, perspective view of the switch housing and eccentric bar for actuating the switch elements into an ineffective position when the music roll is to be rewound Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the rear guiding bar for the switch elements;

Fig. 9 is a similar view of the supporting member which afifords the switch elements a pivotal mounting;

Fig. 10 is a similar view of one of the movable switch elements; and I Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional View, showing the structure of Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, assembled, the scale, however, being slightly reduced.

' Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, an electrical player piano 1 comprises a housing or casin 2, which is centrally divided by means of a bey-bed 3 into upper and lower chamber portions 4 and 5, respectively. A piano sounding board 6' extends through the chambers 4i and 5 and it is positioned immediately adjacent to the rear wall of the housing 2. A lower end portion of the sounding board 6 is mounted on an upright support 8 which is carried by a bottom wall 9 oi: the housing 2-, while an upper end portion of the sounding board 6 is protected by means of a top wall 11 of the housing.

The lower chamber 5 is provided with a front wall 12 having an opening 13 for the passage of sound waves therethrough. A

sound-wave translating device 14 or so-called loud speaker is so mounted on a bracket 15 as to be substantially in alignment with the opening 13 and also in proximity to the portion of the sounding board 6 contained in the lower chamber 5, whereby a desired blending of the modulated air vibrations established by these two parts may be obtained within the piano casing 2, all as will appear presently in greater detail.

The up er chamber 4 is also provided with a removable front wall or panel 16 (Fig. 2) which extends downwardly from the top wall 11 to a transversely extending horizontal member 17. The space between the horizontal member 17 and a key-board 18, which is mounted on the key-bed 3, may be closed by a front panel 19. The panel 19 supports a pair of spaced dials 21 and 22 adapted to serve, respectively, as radio and tempo control dials, as will presently appear.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, a pair of upper and lower rolls 23 and 24 are respectively mounted on shafts 25 and 26, the ends of which are journaled in spacedupright bars 27 and 28 which are mounted on a supporting member 29 extending across the width of the upper chamber 4. A music sheet 31 extends between the upper roll 23 and the lower take-up roll 24, an exposed side 32 of the music sheet being visible from the outside of the chamber through an opening 33 in the front wall 16.

The upper and lower roll shafts 25 and 26 are respectively provided with extensions 34 and 35, the ends of which are supported in an upright member 36 which is spaced from the upright member 28. A sprocket-Wheel 37 is mounted on an outer end portion 38 of the shaft extension 34 and it is connected by a sprocket chain 39 to a sprocket-wheel 41 which is loosely mounted on a cylindrical member 42 loosely positioned on a shaft section 43. One end of the cylindrical member 42 is provided with teeth which co-act with the teeth of a member 44 forming a releasable clutch 45. The member 44 is keyed to the shaft 43, so that it may move longitudinally thereof as well as rotate therewith. When the clutch 45 is in the closed position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, power is transmitted from the shaft 43 through the clutch 45, the s rocket chain mechanism 37, 41 and the shaft 25 to the upper roll 23, thereby causing a reverse movement of the music sheet 31 and the rewinding of the music roll.

The power for actuating the shaft section 43 is supplied from a common driving motor 46, which is mounted on the bottom wall 9 of the lower chamber 5, through mechanism .47 which is controlled by the tempo dial 22.

The mechanism 47 includes a friction disk 48 which is driven by the motor 46. A rotary friction disk 49 is so mounted on a shaft section 51 as to be movable across an exposed face of the friction disk 48, such movement being caused by rack-and-pinion mechanism 52 having a sprocket-Wheel connection 53 to the tempo control dial 22. When the tempo dial 22 is so turned as to cause the friction disk 49 to engage the outer edge of the disk 48, the speed of the shaft section 51 is a maximum. However, when the dial 22 is turned so as to cause the friction disk 49 to approach the center of the friction disk 48, the speed of the'shaft section51 is decreased. The position of the tempo dial 22 thus controls the speed of operation of the shaft section 43.

In accordance with my invention, I provide means whereby the connection between the shaft section 43 and the upper roll 23 may be interrupted when the music sheet 31 has been entirely-rewound on said roll 23, and whereby, at this time, the shaft section 43 may be reconnected to the lower roll 24 to cause a movement of the music sheet 31 in the normal playing direction. My invention further contemplates means, whereby a second musical instrument 54, which has been shown as a phonograph, may be connected to be driven by the shaft section 43 simultaneously with the actuation of the lower roll 24 and disconnected from said shaft section 43 during the rewinding operation when the upper roll 23 only is turned.

To this end, I extend the shaft section 43 through the upright member 36 and connect one element 55 of a clutch 56 therewith through gearing 57. The clutch element 55 is loosely mounted on the shaft section 42 and it co-acts with a second element 58 of the clutch 56. The clutch element 58 is ke ed to the shaft 35 so that it rotates therewit but, at the same time, is longitudinally movable from an effective position to the ineffective position of Figs. 1 and 4 under the action of a pivoted lever 59. A sprocket-wheel 61 is keyed to the shaft 35 and it drives an upper sprocket-wheel 62 through a chain 63. The upper sprocket-wheel 62 is mounted on a clutch element 64 loosely mounted on a shaft 65 supported on the upper ends of the upright ars 28 and 36. The clutch element 64 constitutes part of a clutch 66, another part 67 of which is slidably keyed to the shaft 65 and adapted to be actuated axially thereof by means of an upper end portion 68 of the plvoted lever 59.

The lever 59 may be actuated into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to cause the opening of the clutches 56 and 66, against the force of a spring 69, by means of a solenoid 71. A

core 72 of the solenoid 711is connected by a link 73 and a pivoted lever 74, to the lever 59 and the clutch element 44 of the clutch 45 respectively. When the solenoid 71 is energized in a manner to be hereinafter set forth, the solenoid core 72 through the mechanism just described causes the closing of the clutch 45 and, consequently, the operation of the upper music roll 23, and substantially simultaneously the opening of the clutches 56 and 66. The opening of the clutch 56 disconnects the lower take-up roll 24 from the driving shaft section 23, while the opening of the clutch 66 disconnects the shaft 65 from said shaft section 43. Therefore, when the solenoid 71 is energized, the upper roll 23 only is driven. When the solenoid 71 is deenergized, as will presently appear, the force of the spring 69 is sufiicient to cause the opening of the clutch and the closing of the clutches 56 and 66. The opening of the clutch 45 prevents the further rewinding of the music sheet 21 on the roll 23, while the closing of the clutches 56 and 66- causes the connection of the lower roll 24 and the upper shaft to the shaft section 43 in the direc tion for normal operation.

The shaft 65 constitutes driving means for the phonograph ap aratus 54 which comprises a turn-table 76 for a record 77 and a rotatable spindle 78 upon which the record 76 is mounted. The rotatable spindle 78 is connected by worm-and wheel mechanism 7 9 to the shaft 65. In accordance with my invention, a stylus or needle 81 is mounted on a movable arm 82, permitting the stylus 81 to travel over the face of the record 77 when the same is rotated. The vibration of the needle 81 due to its travel over the face of the record 7 7 is translated into modulated electrical currents by means of a so-called electromagnetic pick-up 83 of conventional design and which is common to the radio art. The apparatus 83, in combination with the stylus 81, thus forms electrical record-controlled translating mean-s and this means is connected by conductors 84 to binding posts 85 of an audio amplifier of a radio-receiving unit 86 which is mounted on the bottom wall 9 of the lower chamber 5, as shown in 1.

hen the radio unit 86 functions merely as power-amplifying device for the modulated currents passing from the magnetic piclcup 83, a switch (not shown) is so operated as to disconnect an external radio antenna circuit 87 from binding post 88. In order that the radio unit or set 86 may be controlled from a remote point, a main control element 89 is connected by means including a sprocket chain 91 to the external control dial 21. The modulated currents which have been amplilied in the audio amplifier of the radio set 86 are now transmitted by conductors 92 to the loud speaker 14.

Considering further the clutch-actuating mechanism, as noted above, my invention contemplates means, whereby the soleno d 71 may be energized only when it is desired that the upper roll 23 shall be connected to the driving shaft section 43. 6 Accordingly, I provide reversing switch 93 (Fig. 5) which comprises an insulatingly supported spring contact'member 94 and a movable contact member 95. The movable contact member 95 is insulatingly mounted on the end of an upper arm portion 96 of a pivoted lever 97. The lever 97 is adapted to be actuated in one direction by a substantially vertical arm 98 of a bell-crank lever 99 which is fulcrumed at 101. A second arm 102 of the lever 99 eX- tends substantially horizontally from the pivot 101 and terminates in an anti-friction roller 103 which engages a rear side of the upper roll 23. A spring 104 insures continuous contact between the anti-friction roller 103 and the upper roll 23. The parts are so designed that the arm 98 abuts against the lever 97 with sufficient force to actuate the same over the dead center of a spring snap device 105 when the upper roll 23 is com pletely unwound, as shown in the solid-line position of Fig. 5. The details of the spring device 105 form no part of my present invention and a furt ier description, therefore, is deemed unnecessary. The dot-and-dash line position of the member 99 occurs when the music sheet 31 has been entirely rewound on the upper roll 23. The relatively stationary and movable contact members 94 and 95 of the switch 93 may be connected by condnctors 106 to conductors 107 of the solenoid 71 and to conductors 108 of a solenoid 109 to be presently described. The circuit defined by these conductors includes a source of energy (not shown), and the same is true for the circuit formed by the conductors 84 which extend between the magnetic pick-up 93 and the loud supeaker 14.

In order that the lower take-up roll 31 as well as the turn table 76 may be disconnected from the driving shaft section 43 when the music roll 28 has been entirely unwound and it is desired to rewind the same, a bell-crank control lever 110, corresponding to the lever 99, is provided. The lever 110 is pivoted at 111, as shown in Fig. 5, and it comprises an arm 112 on one end of which is mounted an anti-friction roller 113. The roller 113 engages a rear surface portion of the lower roll 31 under the force of a spring 114. A second arm 115 of the lever 110 co-acts with a shoulder formed on a lower arm portion 116 of the pivoted lever 97. '1 he design of the parts is such that when the music roll has been entirely rewound on the upper roll 23 so as to cause the upper control lever 99 to assume the d.ot-and-dash line position'of Fig. 5, the lower control lever 110 has moved into its dot-and-dash line position and in so doing has caused the lever 97 to passthe dead center of the spring snap device 95. As a result. the relatively movable contact members 94 and 95 are positively disengaged opening the switch 93. hen the switch 93 is opened, the conductors 106 are disconnected from the solenoids 71 and 109. Thedeenergization of the solenoid 71 permits the spring 69 to close the clutches 56 and 66 and to open the clutch p the provision of electrical means, whereby the keys 117 and 118, constituting the keyboard 18 may be controlled through a series of switches 7.19, which co-act with the perforations in the music sheet 31, and solenoids 121 and 122 which are respectively connected to l the long and short keys 117 and 118. The

relative position of the switches 119 with respect to the music sheet 31 is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, while Figs. 7 to 11 illustrate the switch. apparatus in detail. As therein shown, the switches 119 comprise a plurality of movable elements 123 and co-acting stationary elements 124. Each of the switch elements comprisesan elongated body portion 125, opposite ends 126 and 127 of which are respectively positioned in guiding slots 128 and 129. The slot 128 constitutes one of a plurality which are formed in an upper corner portion 131 of an insulating guide member 132-. The member 132 is mounted on a rear edge portion 133 of a bottom wall 134 of an insulating switch housing 135. The mounting of the end portions 126 of the switch elements 123 in the slots 128 also assures the proper spacing of said end portions 126.

The slots 129, through which the end portions 127 of the several switch elements 123 extend, are formed in a curved front wall of the insulating switch casing or housing 135, as shown particularly in Figs. 7 and 11. The elongated portion 125 of each of the switch elements 123 is provided with laterally off-set portions 137 and 138 which are disposed intermediate the end portions 126 and 127. The portion 137 co-acts with 1ts stationary contact member 124 and normally engaging the same when the end portion 127 moves into a perforation of the music sheet 31. At other times, however, the pressure of the sheet 31 on the end portion 27 is sufiicient to prevent engagement between the contact portion 137 and the contact member 124.

The movement of the switch members 123 is permitted by passing a pivot rod 139, preferably of conducting material, through an aperture 141 in each of the upwardly extending arms 138. The pivot member 139 is preferably positioned in a boring 142 extending lengthwise of a supporting member 143. An underside of the member 143 is provided with a plurality of slots 144 into which the offset portions 138 may extend, thereby assuring the proper spacing as well as the mounting ofthese portions of the switch elements 125.

One advantage of mounting the pivot rod 139 for the switch elements 123 above the elongated body portion 125 is the increased movement that is obtained at the end portion 127 without a corresponding increase in the length. thereof. The member 143 is mounted on an underside 145 of a flange 146 projecting rearwardly from the upper edge portion of the curved front wall of the switch housing 135. Sparking between the relatively movable contact members 124 and 125 is prevented by a layer of oil in the bottom portion of the switch casing 135.

lVhen the music sheet 31 is operated in the reverse direction, so that the same may be rewound on the original roll 23, it is desirable to remove theend portion 127 of the switch elements out of engagement with the reversely moving music sheet 31. This is accomplished in my invention by means of an eccentric rod 148 which engages under edge portions 149 of the elongated body portions 123 of the several switch elements. The eccentric rod 148 is mounted in end walls 150 and 151 of the switch housing 135 and it is connected by means of linkage 152 (Fig. 3) to the solenoid 109. The solenoid 109 is connected in circuit'with the solenoid 71 for the clutch-operating mechanism, so that when the solenoid 71 is energized due to the closing of the switch 93 by the bell-crank lever 99, the solenoid 109 also is energized. The energization of the solenoid 109 causes the turning of the eccentric rod 148 against the force of a spring, with the result that the switch elements 123 are so tilted that the end portions 127 are actuated out of engagement with the reversely moving music sheet 31. When the switch 93 is opened by the lower bell-crank member 110, the solenoid 109 is deenergized, thereby permitting the eccentric rod 148 to return to its original position, wherein the end portions 127 of the several switch elements project beyond the outer face of the curved end wall.

The switches 123-124 are so connected to the control solenoids 121, 122 that each of these switches controls the operation of a particular one of the keys 117, 118. For example, the switches 123-124 shown in Fi 11, are connected by conductors 154 and 155 to the solenoid 121, while the next switch (not shown) is connected to the solenoid 122 for the next key 118. The solenoids 121, which control the longer keys 117, are mounted in a series of openings formed in the keybed 3, while the solenoids 122, which control the shorter keys 118, are mounted in a second series of openings positioned in the key- 36d 3 inwardly of the first series.

Each of the solenoids 121, 122 comprises a cylindrical member 156 having a central recessed portion 157 adapted to receive thereabout a magnetizing winding 158, whereby a force may be exerted on a pair of core members 159 and 160, arranged interiorly of each of the portions 157, in accordance with the operation of the control switches 123-12 1. The core members 159 and 160 are positioned in a longitudinally extending aperture through the center of the member 156, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. A spring 161 serves to support the lower core member 160, while the upper core member 159 is connected by a flexible chain 162 to an adjustable abutment 163 mounted on an adjacent underside of the key 117. Such adjustable mounting affords variations in the stroke of the key 117. The solenoid 122 is similarly designed and, as noted above, is connected to the shorter key 118. The positioning of the solenoids 121, 122 at the ends of the keys 117, 118 re sults in a more natural operation of the piano. The particular solenoids disclosed are characterized by the relatively long stroke afforded the keys, thereby causing the tone of the piano to be very greatly improved.

In operation, when the driving motor 16 is energized through a control switch (not shown) and when the: tempo dial 22 is so actuated that the driving shaft section 43 operates at a speed necessary to produce the desired rate of movement of the music sheet 31, the reversing switch 93 is in its open position while the control members 99and 110 occupy the dot-and-dash line positions illustrated in Fig. 5. Inasmuch as the control switch 93 is open. the solenoids 71 and 109 are deenergized. lVhen the solenoid 109 is deenergized, the eccentric rod 148 is held in the ineffective position shown in Fig. 11 by the force of the spring 153. When the solenoid 71 is deenergized the spring 69 holds the clutch mechanism in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, wherein the clutch 44 is open and the clutches 56 and 66 are closed. When the clutches 56 and 66 are closed, the driving shaft section 13 causes the rotation of the lower take-up roll 24 as well as the operation of the phonograph apparatus 54;. It is noted that such operation occurs simultaneously, thereby permitting the synchronizing of these two musical instrumentalities.

As the music sheet 31 passes over the end wall of the switch casing 135, the several movable switch elements 123 are actuated in accordance with the perforations in the music sheet 31, since when each end portion 127 moves into a recess in the sheet 31 a contact is established between the co-acting elements 123 and 12d. Such contacts result in the energization of the solenoid to which it is connected and the actuation of the desired Key. Simultaneous with the playing of the piano, the needle 81 is caused to move over the face of the record 77 and the resulting vibration of the needle 81 is translated into modulated currents by means of the electromagnetic pick-up 83. These modulated currents are amplified in the radio set 86 and thereafter retranslated into air vibrations by means of the sound-wavetranslated device 14. Inasmuch as the device 14 is positioned immediately adjacent to the sounding-board 6 for the player pianoand the both are contained within a single housing. a desired blending is obtained. Moreover, since the phonograph apparatus 54 and the player piano are simultaneously operated from a single source, a desired synchronous relation between the two may be continuously maintained, with resulting harmonious effect. For example, should a vocal selection be played by the phonograph apparatus, the player piano accompaniment is in proper harmonious relation.

When the music sheet 31 has been entirely unwound from the upper music roll 23, the upper control member 99 actuates the lever 97 past the dead center of the spring snap mechanism 105. The mechanism 105 then positively moves the contact members 9 1 and into circuit closing engagement, so that the solenoids 71 and 109 are energized. lVhen the solenoid 109 is energized, the eccentric rod 148 is so turned as to actuate the end portion 127 of the several switch elements 123 out of engagement with the music sheet 31. The energization of the solenoid 71 causes the opening of the clutches 56 and 66 and the closingof the clutch 44. When the clutches 56 and 66 are opened, the further actuation of the phonograph apparatus 5 1 and the lower take-up roll 24; by the driving shaft section 4 3 is prevented. The closing of the clutch 44, however, results in the upper roll 23 being actuated directly by the shaft section 43 in such direction as to rewind the music sheet 31 thereon.

When the music sheet 31 has been entirely removed from the lower roll 24, the diameter of this roll has decreased to such an extent that the contact member 110 actuates the lever 97 past the dead center of the spring snap mechanism 95, causing a snap move ment of the contact member out of engagement with the contact member 106 and the opening of the switch 93. One advantage of controlling the lever 97 by means of the bell-crank levers 99 and 110 is that rolls of different diameters may be used without a decrease in the accuracy of control. The opening of the switch 93 causes the deenergization of the solenoids 71 and 109, resulting in a movement of the eccentric rod 14-8 into an ineffective position, the closing of the clutches 56 and 66 and the opening of the clutch 14. Should it be desired to prevent the further replaying of the piano and phonograph apparatus at this time, the control switch (not shown) for the motor 16 is opened. When it is desired to use the radio set 86 independently of the player piano and phonograph apparatus, the control switch (not shown) may be operated to connect the set to the usual external radio circuit 87.

While I have shown only one form of embodiment of my invention, for the purpose of describing the same and illustrating its principles of construction and operation, it is apparent that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon as are indicated in the appended claims or as are demanded by the prior art.

I claim:

1. In combination, a reversible movable music sheet, a record translating device, operating mechanism for said device and said sheet, and control means co-acting with the sheet and automatically effective upon a selected movement of said sheet in one direction to cause a reverse movement thereof and the substantial simultaneous inoperation of said device.

2. The combination with a reversibly movable music sheet and a record device, of driving means therefor, and means co-acting with the sheet for automatically causing a reverse movement of said sheet upon the arrival of said sheet at a selected position, a second means co-acting with said sheet for interrupting the reverse movement thereof and simultaneously starting the record device upon the arrival of said sheet atanother so lected position.

3. The combination with a phonograph translating device and a music sheet, of means for actuating them simultaneously, means-co-acting with said sheet effective to cause a reverse movement of said sheet and the inoperation of saiddevice when said sheet has moved a desired extent, and a second means co-acting with said sheet automatically effective to cause an opposite movement of said sheet and the reactuation of said device under selected conditions.

4. The combination with a main roll, a take-up roll and a sheet extending therebetween, of a record translating device. actuating means for said device and said sheet means co-acting with said rolls whereby said record device and one of said rolls may be actuated for a selected sheet travel and thereafter the other of said rolls actuated and said record device rendered ineffective.

5. The combination with a pair of rolls, and a music sheet therebetween, of a record-translating device, actuating means adapted to be connected to said rolls and said record device, and means co-acting with said rolls whereby said actuating means may be connected to only one of said rolls and thereafter automatically disconnected from said roll and connected to the other of said rolls and said device.

6. In combination, a plurality of sound producing instrumentalities, of which one includes a music roll and the other a record, a common driving motor therefor, and means controlled by the diameter of said music roll, whereby the operation of the latter may be reversed and the actuation of the record discontinued under selected operating conditions.

' 7. In combination, a record device,'apair of rolls having a music sheet extending therebetween, driving means having independent connections to said rolls and said record device, means for connectin said driving means to one of said rolls and disconnecting the other of said rolls and said record device therefrom, and means controlled by the diameter of said connected. roll for controlling said second-mentioned means.

8. The combination with a pair of rolls having a music sheet extending therebetween, of a record-translating device, driving means, clutch-control means whereby said driving means may be connected to one of said rolls and to said record device and thereafter connected to the other of said rolls only, and means responsive to the diameter of one of said rolls operative on said clutchcontrol means.

9. The combination with a record device, of a pair of rolls having a music sheet extending therebetween, driving means, solenoid-operated clutch mechanism effective to connect one of said rolls to said drivin means, and means operative under selected conditions to cause said clutch mechanism to disconnect said connected roll and connect the other disconnected roll and said record device to said driving means.

10. The combination with a pair of rolls having a music sheet extending therebetween, of a record device, driving means, clutch mechanism adapted in one position to connect one of said rolls only to said driving means and in another position to connect the other of said rolls only and said record to said driving means, and means including a solenoid for actuating said clutch mechanism.

11. A player piano having a music sheet movable over a switch housing, said housing having a recess, a pivoted switch element within said housing and extending through said recess into contact with said music sheet and having its circuit-closing instrumentality entirely at its end opposite to that extending through the said recess, said switch element moving to a closed position when the portion thereof in contact with said sheet projects into one of the openings in the music sheet, and means whereby the portion of said switch element normally in contact with said sheet may be withdrawn from such contact.

12. A player piano having a music sheet. a switch casing having a plurality of switch eletil ment-s pivot-ally mounted therein and provided with projecting portions adapted to engage normally said sheet and to extend into the slots thereof When in line therewith, means for causing the exposed portions of said contact elements to be disengaged from said sheet when a reverse movement thereof occurs, and means for guiding said switch elements during the movements thereof.

13. In a player piano, the combination with a series of keys and a perforated music sheet, of means for actuating said keys in a :cordance with the perforations of said sheet comprisingga plurality of movable switch elements, and electrically controlled means operable as an incident to rewinding the music sheet for actuating said movable switch elements into an ineffective position with respect to said music sheet.

14:. In an electrical instrument, the combination with a series of keys and a perforated music sheet, of means for actuating said ke in accordance with the perforations of said sheet comprising a plurality of switch elements, and means effective upon a selected sheet movement to actuate said switch elements into an ineffective position with respect to said music sheet.

15. In a player piano, the combination with a series of keys and a perforated music sheet, of means for actuating said keys in accordance with the perforations in said sheet comprising a plurality of movable switch elements, at least one of which has an elongated body portion, one end of said body portion being adapted to engage said sheet and the other to co-act with guiding means, said lastmentioned switch element having a transversely extcnding portion adapted to engage a pivot pin.

16. In a player piano, the combination i'ith a series of keys and a perforated music sheet, of means for actuating said keys in accordance with the perforations in said sheets comprising a plurality of switch elements and co-acting elements, at least one of said switch elements having an elongated body portion, one end of which is adapted to engage said sheet and the other end to co-act with guidin means, said last-mentioned switch element having transversely extending portions respectively adapted to engage a pivot pin and one of sa d co-acting elements, and means whereby said last-mentioned switch element may be rendered ineffective when said music sheet is actuated in one direction.

17. In a player piano, the combination with a series of keys and a perforated music sheet, of means for actuating said keys in ac cordance with the perforations of said sheet comprising a plurality of movable switch elements, a member affording said elements a pivotal mounting, and a casing having a top wall for supporting said member, an end wall through which said movable switch elements extend and over which said music sheet passes and a bottom wall adapted to provide a mounting for said co-acting ,ele ments.

18. In a player piano, the combination with a series of keys and a perforated music sheet, of means for actuating said keys in accordance with the perforations of said sheet comprising a plurality of switch element's, means affording said elements a pivotal mounting, and a casing having an end wall through which said movable switch elements may extend and over which said music sheet may pass, and a bottom wall adapted to support a guiding member for said movable switch elements.

19. A player piano having a housing, a key bed dividing said housing into upper and lower chambers, phonograph apparatus and electrical, record-controlled translating means positioned in one of said chambers, a radio set having the input of its audio amplifier connected to said record-controlled translating means and a main driving motor for said. apparatus and said piano positioned in another chamber. a sound-wave translating device connected to the output of said ampl fier also positioned in said last1nentioned chamber, and a sounding board positioned in operative relation to said device and extending into both chambers so that the vibrations produced by said device may actuate sa d sounding board.

20. The combinat on with a player piano, of a recorel-translating device, a main roll, a take-up roll and a perforated music sheet extending therebetween, means for simultaneously actuating said device and one of said rolls, a series of keys and means for actuating them in accordance with the perforations of said sheet comprising a plurality of switch elements normally in effective position with respect to said sheet, means co-actinn; with said rolls whereby said record device and one of said rolls may be actuated for a selected sheet travel and thereafter the other of said rolls actuated and said record device rendered ineffective, and means to actuate said switch elements into an ineffective position with respect to said sheet when said second-mentioned roll is actuated.

CHARLES A. ONEILL. 

